Charles E W Bean, Diaries, AWM38 3DRL 606/47/1 - June 1916 - Part 7

76

We have found some German practice
trenches to be at 28 J 35. x
(these were found in map on a
dead German of 120^th Rgt XIII Corps
at Ypres). The trenches can be
seen on our aeroplane photos
& undoubtedly represent
were used to practice attack
on June 2nd. But they do not
bear a marked resemblance to
any part of our front line.
N Z Raid orders
Objs of N.Z.Raid. To take Prisoners & identify
To capture or destroy
m.g. or T.Ms
To report on enemys trenches
& dug outs.
To. decrease enemys morale
To obtain all information poss.

(5 Bde also:
"Inflicting casualties 

on enemy"]
Assembly pt. C 29 a. 3.4½ (E. bank of shallow stream)
Germ Support trench 120 yds in rear at nearest
Only one comm trench
5     77
[*Last nights raid

/ 32

CO.7.*]
night ws heavy, but no serious damage.
3 balloons were brought down
opp our southern end (II Corps)
yesty in flames. They say tt
19 have now bn brought down.
German maps captured at Ypres
show their front line in blue, & our
trenches in gt detail in red -
just as ours represent theirs.
The planes dropped bombs wh
seemed to ^keep splitting up into pieces emitting
v. white smoke.
Enemys balloons were lowered as
soon as our planes went up.
Prisoners taken by N.Z. say our indirect
m g. fire is causing losses in back lines
& to transport. T.Ms are causing
losses. They think our arty is
inactive thro' shortage of ammn.
assaulting party will not take more than 3 prisoners in all.
assaulting party will move thro the gap (in wire)

78
[Our arty at present has to fire
up to a certain expenditure of ammn.]
being reached they will block the trench
& prevent any one giving assistance to
portion of trench raided. The remainder
o / party will work up trench from S? point
of entry to the blocking party clearing
dugouts & taking prisoners. No more than 3 prisoners be taken.
(Left Pty to go to C 29 a 5.4. & act in similar
manner to rt party.
5     79
in single file, extend on a
frontage of one man per yard, & 
enter the trench to their front. They
will take one prisoner at once & then
kill any other enemy met w there.
When this has bn done ½ the party
will move to either flank & get
in touch w / bombing pties on
our flanks, forming connecting
links down / trench. The
prisoners will be passed along /
trench to / O.C. assault party
at / point of exit from / trench.
The assault party will not take more than 3 prisoners in all.
Right Bombing Party then follow the assault
party & on reaching wire will move
up on their right in second valley &
enter the trench. Half the right with the senior
NCO will at once move along
the trench to C.29 a 4 1½ [[shorthand]] any
enemy met with. On their point

5     80
Steel helmets to be worn. Every man
to have piece of white material
3 inches broad on each arm - to
be covered w piece of dark cloth
wh will be removed on entering
enemy's trenches.
Wire to be cut at 29 a 4½ 3
Prisoners shd not be alld to converse w
each other & shd be kept apart.
(as a matter of fact N.Z. broke
nearly every rule tt exists,
took documents from prisoners, alld
interpreters to examine them etc).

5      81
In last nights attack, the Germans
started off first by bombarding
the Bridoux salient. Our
mortars waited till they had
finished (attack ws postponed)
& then gave the German trenches
& wire a bombardment. Nothing
followed. An hour later the
trench mortars bombarded
agn but in a different place,
& men went across (19^th Bn).
They found / wire had not bn
cut & / Germans were waiting
for them; but no m.g. fired

82
One German sd. Thank God
the artillery is over - or wds
to tt effect.
5      83
So it had evidently bn knocked
out. The Germans bombed
them as they got in & there
ws hard fighting all / way.
4 prisoners taken.
Enemy dread our T.Ms. One man
sd they had lost heavily by them lately.
Orders. Raid agst I 32 c 1¼ 9 by 18^th Bn.
for purpose of
a. obtaining prisoners for identn.
b. capturing Minnenwerfer & m.g.
suspected here.
c. gaining informatn regarding design
& constructn of enemy defences.
d. Doing as much damage as possible
e. Destroying enemy's morale
while maintaining / offensive
spirit in our own troops.
Party to assemble in front trench at I. 31 b. 7.3½
& be ready to move out 45 mins after
Zero time.
O.C. attack to be near
sally port.

84
Hand drawn diagram – see original document

5     85
O.C. Attack: Maj. S.P. Goodsell.
Scouts. 1 n.c.o. 3 o.r.
Assault Pty.
O.C. Capt H.L. Bruce.
R^t Blocking Pty 1 NCO, 2 Bombers, 1 Bayonet m.
R^t Bombg Pty. Lt Bolton Wood. with
1 N.C.O., 3 bayonet m. 3 bombers,
1 intellig., 1 spare man.
Centre Bombg Pty. Lt. Docker.
1 n.c.o. 2 bayonet m. 2 bombers,
1 Engr, 1 spare man.
Left Bombg & }
Blocking Pty    } Lt. Walklate,
2 n.c.o.s, 2 bayonet m.
6 bombers.
R^t Parapet pty. 1 n.c.o. 3 bayonet m.
1 bomber, 1 intellig. man.
Left Parapet Pty 1 n.c.o., 3 bayonet m.,
1 bomber. 1 Engr.
Telephonist & Linesmen 2 m.
Escort for prisoners   4 m.
Runners  2 m
S Bs. 2. 
Covering Pty. Lt Harrison, 2 N.C.Os
10 bayonet m.
1 scout.

5     86
Report: 4 prisoners were taken & various
arms & equipment. It is estimd.
[*(????*)] tt abt 60 dead were left in the enemy
trenches of wh the raiding pty
accounted for a large proportion.
Our casualties were 1 O.R. k, 1 officer
slightly w. 11 ORs wd.
The prelim. bombt started at
midnight [? meant for 10.30 p.m.]
At 1.25 some points were agn.
bombarded for 5 mins - after wh.
arty lifted & assaulting pty
entered enemy trenches.
[? meant for 11.55 pm].
Arty shelled during day a probable
dump & burnt it (by roadside) waggons
were destroyed & men dispersed;
M.g. shelled at I 21 c 1½.1. many
direct hits & explosion.
Enemy shelled Rue du Bois.
It has been miserably wet

5          87
for 2 days - ever since the
bombt started, in fact. It is
as hazy tonight as in November.
Some connect it with the
bombt. Its very hard to think
this likely after the glorious
weather we had thro the very
heaviest naval gunfire
in Gallipoli.
I hear the Turks have
told / Americans tt they
have buried all / bodies
they found at Gallipoli (e.g.,
I suppose, on the Nek where
/ Light Horse were still lying
after Aug 7. - & perhaps at
Lone Pine;) & tt / graveyards
are all being looked after
until / end o / war.
I thought the Turk wd do
tt.

5      88
Had tea w Birdwood.
He says there is to be no attack
tonight - give them a rest. I
suspect the programme is
advanced a day.
June 28^th Last night - after
a sodden day the rain
drummed down ceaselessly.
I could not sleep for - it
was a night like that one
on Gallipoli when the evacuation
ws begun & the storm seemed
to be blowing up wh wd wreck
the whole thing.
Rain, rain, rain. Our
great event had been fixed
& the bombardment had already begun. England
had started to pour out
ammunition on / biggest
battle tt / Empire has ever
bn engaged in - the last gt 

5     89
effort, very likely; & here
when the lot ws definitely
cast & our guns were breaking
up / enemys wire & registering
& our aeroplanes had battered
down his balloons - here in
comes the one condition wh
no man can fight & threatens
to ruin it all. Will it never
cease raining. Here is this
miserable climate - midsummer
a few days ago - & nothing
will stop it raining. The roads
are ankle deep in mud,
some of them; & I'm sure the
artillery observers cant
make proper observation
& yet it rains as steadily
as if there were to be no
end to it for ever.
I wonder what poor
old Haig thinks of it. He has asked